Beliefs About the Causes of Autism and Attitudes Toward Autistic Individuals Among Parents and Teachers in Kenya: A Cross-Sectional Survey

Abstract Beliefs about the causes of autism and attitudes toward autistic individuals remain understudied in Sub-Saharan African contexts but have important implications for health and quality of life. This study examined causal beliefs about autism and attitudes toward autistic individuals among 188 parents and teachers in Uasin Gishu County, Kenya using a cross-sectional survey design. Results reflect a layered explanatory model in which respondents accept scientifically based causes of autism while also attributing autism to upstream social or environmental factors. Respondents who reported prior training in autism were more likely to reject non-scientific causes and to endorse evidence-based etiology, though the relationship between training and endorsement of scientific causes was modest. Causal beliefs were significantly associated with attitudes toward autistic children, specifically with endorsement of scientific causes associated with more positive attitudes towards autistic individuals and endorsement of non-scientific causes associated with more negative attitudes. These findings highlight the need for culturally responsive awareness programming and targeted educational initiatives to address autism misconceptions and promote positive attitudes toward autistic individuals in Kenya and similar low- and middle-income country contexts.